Design-Build
RAN Fire Protection Engineering tends to work closely with contractors during the design-build process. When design and construction are in different hands, there is no singular point of responsibility for quality, cost, and schedule adherence. This allows for the designers, RAN, and the contractors, to collaborate and save time and money.
Quality
The design-build process serves as vehicle for streamlined project performance for the designers and contractors. With this collaboration, the production of comprehensive design documents are presented. As the projects shifts to the build phase, the attention to quality continues. The designer then becomes an advisor and evaluates the construction of the project, until the project is completed. This ensures that the requirements and expectations are documented and completed in order to fulfill their responsibilities and produce the anticipated results.
Time Savings
During the design-build process, time is substantially reduced. This is due to the overlapping of design and construction, as well as the elimination of bidding periods and redesign. The design-build process also allows for materials and equipment procurement and construction work to begin before the construction documents are fully completed. With this large amount of time that is saved, an earlier date of completion is presented.
Cost Savings
As a result of time being reduced and the use of collaboration, the design-build process provides the opportunity of lower costs. With the collaboration of design and construction personnel working and communicating as a team, this allows for evaluations of alternative materials and methods, that are more efficient, accurate, and affordable to be used. Finally, when designers and contractors work as a team, value engineering and constructability are utilized continuously and more effectively.
Federal Projects
There are a lot of Design-Build contract opportunities in the Federal marketplace. Per Federal requirements, there needs to be a Qualified Fire Protection Engineer on the team. In order to be a Qualified Fire Protection Engineer, one needs to have a professional engineering license in fire protection and have at least 5 years of experience in Federal contracting. Fortunately, RAN has six qualified fire protection engineers that satisfy this requirement which enables us to provide the knowledge and capacity to tackle any project.
RAN Design-Build Project Example
West Point
West Point, NY
RAN Fire Protection Engineering performed a project that required a variety of scopes on three buildings at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The buildings included Lincoln Hall, Jewish Chapel, and Johnson Stadium. RAN designed fire protection systems, as well as used a new MAAP Plus Fire Alarm Systems and companion Mass Notification Systems (MNS) that was compliant with the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code and NFPA 72. The devices that were installed included heat and smoke detectors, manual pull stations, duct detectors in existing locations, monitor modules, control modules for air handler shutdown, and alarms with combination speakers/strobes. Finally, RAN programmed the MAAP Plus Fire Alarm panels, provided As-built drawings, and initial and final testing of the systems.